Quarterback Diego Pavia was one of the players who attracted the most attention during the NFL Scouting Combine, both on and off the field, especially after revealing that he has been receiving mentoring from Johnny Manziel, the former winner of the Heisman Trophy.
Diego Pavia Makes No Secret of How Johnny Manziel Influences His Career
In an interview with NBC Sports, Pavia said that Manziel has acted as a close advisor, offering guidance on navigating the league’s rigorous selection process and, above all, avoiding the off-field mistakes that compromised his career.
This fact prompted immediate reactions from the NFL World, and one of the most assertive comments came from Mike Florio, who offered a candid analysis of the QB: “For most incoming NFL quarterbacks, Johnny Manziel is a cautionary tale. For Diego Pavia, Manziel is a role model. Pavia’s draft stock is much lower than Manziel’s was…”
“There’s a chance Pavia will go undrafted. Which means that, when he gets a chance to climb from the 90-man roster to the final 53, he’ll need to do something Manziel never did, work his a** off,” Florio added.
The reactions on social media were even stronger.
“I genuinely don’t know if I’ve ever seen someone consistently do the opposite of what they should be doing like Pavia has done in this pre-draft process,” sports writer Tyler Brooke posted.
I genuinely don’t know if I’ve ever seen someone consistently do the opposite of what they should be doing like Pavia has done in this pre-draft process https://t.co/zWgdbKg5Tb
— Tyler Brooke (@TylerDBrooke) February 28, 2026
A Yahoo Sports video showed Pavia expressing great admiration for Manziel.
Diego Pavia shows love to his mentor, Johnny Manziel 🤝🏼
🎥 @YahooSports pic.twitter.com/UHzzQ7uARQ
— Bussin’ With The Boys (@BussinWTB) February 28, 2026
Meanwhile, “green80sports” offered a more positive analysis, noting that mentoring can increase his chances in the NFL Draft: “Johnny Manziel could’ve been a legitimate starting QB and the fact that he made all the mistakes that he did and he’s mentoring a guy who character-wise maybe makes the same mistakes without a guy like Manziel leading him in the right direction, I think it’s very beneficial.”
Finally, reporter Stephanie Otey (Essentially Sports) provided a definitive overview of the situation and offered further details on the QB’s behavior in response to the criticism he has been receiving during the NFL Scouting Combine.
“He spoke with us and he said that he’s gained guidance to navigate this transition from another SEC quarterback who’s faced some controversy in the media of his own in Johnny Manziel. Diego said that Johnny has advised him on what to look out for, what it’s like, how to stay in the process. He’s been around his family,” Otey said.
“He’s just a great person for those that really don’t know that same experience. And Diego said he’s pushed back on some of the outside narratives, and he doesn’t want people just saying things about him. He wants them to know the real truth about him. And he says that truth is that he’s a humble guy, and he’s got all this confidence from the process that he’s had. It’s about his journey,” she added.
Pavia was a Heisman finalist in 2025 after leading Vanderbilt to a historic season. However, the QB arrived at the Combine under a cloud of criticism due to a controversial social media outburst after failing to win the trophy, as well as his physical stature, which drew negative attention.
NFL teams are using interviews in Indianapolis to assess whether he has the temperament necessary to be a professional leader.
